Press

Washington Post October 2005 | Exit Clov sounds more assured and focused than ever, so the future is looking good...

May 2004 | The Clovs tend to snarl their sweetest pop lyrics... Catch this fast-rising local gem closer to home.

October 2004 | Local indie popsters Exit Clov, at DC9, have created a big buzz around their skittering beats and airy vocals.
Norman Transcript August 2006 | It would be easy to dismiss twin singers Emily and Susan as mere eye candy, but a quick listen to Exit Clov’s third release, “Jolly Roget Sessions EP,” reveals much, much more. … Armed with violins, harmony, and a quick dash of oh-so-political-speak, the Hsus and their dude bandmates captivate…
Kansas City Star June 2004 | Hailing from Washington, D.C., this quintet kicks hard but still keeps an edge.
AllGood Festival 2006 June 2006 | ... the band introduced the crowd to the concept of Exit Clov, who play in the noble tradition of twin front-women pioneered by the Breeders. The band began with an energetic opener called “Trans-Siberian Love Triangle.” Other highlights included “Communist BBQ” and a killer rendition of Blondie’s “Call Me” … The harmonies of the Hsu sisters’ vocals were tight and sweet with wraithlike synchronization… full review
DCist.com June 2006 | The band's sound gave a sugary glaze to some delightfully subversive lyrics. Their critiques of CIA mind-control ("MK Ultra") and consumerism permeating youth culture ("Band Seeking") were almost Top 40 material due to their very pretty pop sound. It may take a visit or two to Wikipedia but once you get the references you can appreciate the set on a whole other level... full review

October 2005 | Chronicling the brainwashing program that took place under the title's name, the sisters sing "I remember the days of MK Ultra" as the rhythm section goes off on zany and joyful and short guitar and bass licks.

February 2005 | They are a fine band with gorgeous and delicate musical eccentricities and loose, jaunty rhythms. ... The Saskwatch EP is a lovely disc, packed with the pointilist beauty and detail of their music. ... Songs like "Orange Rust" and "#1 Hits" should find their way into heavy rotation.
DC North May 2006 | ... I recently took in their April 15th performance at Black Cat. The band has a real following. There was a great crowd singing along, succumbing to the beat.

     The Clov has an impressive stage presence and energy. And, yes, it doesn’t hurt that the band is fronted by attractive twin sisters. They command the attention of the males in the room – and ahem, a good number of females too. The twins have amazingly harmonized voices that are so perfectly entwined they sound as if they started rehearsing in the womb. 

     The most captivating moment of the show is when the femmes show the full scope of their musical talents by rocking out dual violins. The other band members are equally entertaining. Drummer John Thayer pounds out the danceable beats, Aaron Leeder adds some sensual barefoot guitar works and Brett Niederman solidifies the dance beats with the bass. full review
BigYawn.net August 2005 | On the upcoming Respond Respond EP:
Having heard the new material already, I can safely say that the songs are among the best the band has ever written. ‘DIY,’ ‘Moving Gaza’ and ‘Violent Berries’ have become live staples of late. ‘Communist BBQ,’ my personal favorite, contains some of the most sarcastic lyrics ever uttered by the twins.” full blurb

December 2004 | What a difference a year makes. Merely a year and a half after their creation, these DC rookies have but a single self-produced EP to their credit, but that hasn't stopped them from quietly climbing the ranks of DC bands.
OnTap Magazine January 2005 | You could call this music "pop"-and it is pop, sweet and appealing-it's just that under that surface, the tone is so neurotic. You could call this "rock"-and it is rock, built on a solid foundation of bass and drums-it's just that on top of that groove, it's so pretty.

October 2003 | When the newly formed quintet played their debut show at Staccato, they left the packed house experiencing a degree of shock and awe not seen since the early days of the war in Iraq. ...

       If you can't get your hands on one of the band's demos . . . there's another option: you'll need three stereos, a copy of Bob Marley's "Babylon by Bus," an old Throwing Muses CD, and anything by the Shangri-Las. Start drinking and play all three records at once while reading an essay by Jean-Paul Sartre. This will get you started. But the band would agree it's not quite as simple as that.
Asian Week August 2006 | The Bottom of the Hill club in San Francisco recently had their walls pulsating with the colorful punk-pop energy of indie rock band Exit Clov. … Sidestepping the road to becoming cutesy, marshmallowy fluff, the sweet sound of the Hsus’ harmonizing voices and the band’s instrumentals were like Pop Rocks for the ears. Exit Clov’s head-bobbing beats and face-scrunching riffs gave bite to the sisters’ sweet, easygoing vocals, resulting in a giddy, grin-inducing show. … full review
Mike Park
Plea for Peace
Asian Man Records 		2004 | ... It was like Mothra. I don't know if you know Mothra, but he's a giant moth that battled Godzilla and other great monsters. But there were these two twins that would sing MOTHRA and then Mothra would come and save the day. They were cute and extremely talented. They both played guitar, keyboards, and the violin. They played some friggin amazing solos and at times my jaw dropped in disbelief.
Mr. Joel's DC Shows List August 2004 | Sweet harmonies, dark lyrics, tight jams. Local and blowing up. Like them now, before your friends do.
DC Music Scene Rants February 2004 | You know how a lot of bands have that one song that proves how tight they are? Well, all of Exit Clov's songs are like that.
January 2004 | Fronted by twin (petite, cute, and delicious) sisters who trade vocal lines and create some etheral melodies, this band gets an A+ for musical talent. They were tight. The bassist and drummer were just in lock-step.
DC Journal August 2004 | Who needs to obsess over Mary-Kate 'n' Ashley, when Emily and Susan are right here in DC? The Hsu twins (identical) sing in perfect harmonies, coming in and out of focus over powerful guitar, bass and drums.

Reviews

Music Monthly March 2005 | Ya'll been schooled... This is the quartet's second release. The debut got them nominated for a WAMA. This EP should win it. ... Rush's entire catalogue is arguably up for usurpation by the nascent Clov, even. ... Ambitious? Whatever the group's goal, it's been achieved.
Left Off the Dial January 2004 | Exit Clov make a fabulous first impression. The music is pure pop simplicity with breathy urgency and nonchalance at once. There is really only one thing that Exit Clov leave to be desired: a full length album!!!
Indie Songwriter Magazine THE CD: With only four songs, it ends too quick. And the few songs we are introduced to are only enough to whet the appetite, not satisfy the hunger.
WHY IT WAS SELECTED: Tight harmonies, song crafting that is well-suited to the storyteller, and a production that adds little surprises along the way.
SUMMARY : A bit of pop, a bit of punk, and plenty of sweet ballad harmonies present a welcome change of pace.
Stayfun.co.uk
Web zine in the Netherlands 		January 2004 | 'Beast Simone' is the best track on offer from their website, as it snakes from groovier styles on bass, keyboard and violin, to more straight-ahead rock segments reminiscent of Lush - all encapsulated by the sugar-coated harmonies which are ever present.

Interviews

Washington City Paper Pop Quiz | May 2005
Indie on Eye Street | December 2005
OnTap Magazine | October 2005

Awards

2004 New Artist of the Year Nominee
~ Washington Area Musicians Association Awards
2004 Top 10 CD Releases in DC
~ BigYawn.net
2004 Best Mid-Atlantic Release
~ LeftOffTheDial.com
January 2003 Indie Songwriter Magazine
~ Indie Pick of the Month
2004 Top 10 Favorite Downloads ("For Abednego")
~ MP3.WashingtonPost.com Editors Picks
2004 Top DC Bands to Watch
~ DC Music Scene Rants
November 2003 Indie Pick of the Month
~ Independent Songwriter Magazine

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